Wycombe Hospital "safe" despite asbestos fears (From Bucks Free Press)

Wycombe Hospital "safe" despite asbestos fears

11:30am Wednesday 3rd March 2010 in

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HEALTH bosses have moved to reassure patients that Wycombe Hospital is safe - after admitting asbestos is present in parts of the 1960s tower block.

Buckinghamshire Hospitals NHS Trust were responding to rumours that the 1966 tower block had an asbestos problem and would be unsafe for patients and staff within 18months.

Trust spokesman Lee Jones said the hospital was “maintaining patient safety and good infection control” but the tower is 'making it difficult to deliver high standards'.

She added “direct patient care” would be carried out in the modern hospital buildings and the asbestos would be removed as part of the trust's hospital improvements.

She said: “As with a lot of older buildings, there is some asbestos in parts of the tower block.

"However this does not pose any safety risk and our asbestos management plan allows us to safely remove it in line with other improvements.

“Whilst we continue to maintain patient safety and good infection control within the tower block, the 1960s building unfortunately is making it increasingly difficult for us to deliver services to the high standards our patients expect and which we strive for.

“Through our estates strategy, which was presented to the Trust Board in September 2009, we have outlined a number of options to improve facilities at Wycombe Hospital.

“This includes ensuring our most modern accommodation is better utilised for direct patient care.

"Most recently, we have invested in our endoscopy unit and we are also developing a GP-led health centre with the PCT.”

Health chiefs laid out radical plans to move services around the hospital site to cut costs and replace outdated facilities which do not allow single-sex accommodation.

The top four floors of the tower block would be demolished under the strategy, which is expected to be completed by April 2011.

The NHS report says the plan would save £1.5m and “vastly improve patient accommodation as the dated 1960’s tower block is tired and the structure does not lend itself to privacy and dignity single sex ward compliance.”

But Miss Jones dismissed rumours the trust had any plans to sell the hospital site to a hotel chain. She said: “As we have said before, there are no plans to sell land at Wycombe.

“We also have not been in discussions with any hotel chains regarding the site.”